Standard Middle School Drama
by Starry Eyed Artist
Summary: The Winchesters have lived in the middle of nowhere, Kansas, their entire lives. Nothing much happened, and everyone knew everyone really. But when the Novaks move in, Sam and Dean find themselves tangled into the drama that comes with being their friends. ((Middle school AU: Sam and Cas are in seventh grade, Dean and Gabriel are sophomores. Destiel and Sabriel included.))
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Supernatural is not mine, and I have no right to claim it. Anyways, this includes male/male in some parts, and is generally Destiel and Sabriel. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this middle school AU!**

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Dean heard a thud as he passed by his brother's room, and he opened the door to peek his head in. "Sammy?" His voice rung out in the small space, and he found himself staring at the heap on the floor. "Sam?" He pushed the door open wider and light from the hallway spilled into the room and onto a bundle that hung off of the youngest Winchester's bed. Sam's back faced his brother, and his strangely long legs were still on the bed, causing him to be in what looked like an uncomfortable position.

With a chuckle, Dean squatted next to his brother. After checking to see how cold his hand was, the elder pressed his icy hand to Sam's warm back. Sam jerked away and into a sitting position, knocking his forehead into Dean's.

"Ow!"

"Fuck!" Dean rolled onto his back, holding his forehead. Sam was hunched over, doing the same, and the two glared fiercely at each other. "Jesus Sammy, that hurt."

"You could have turned on the lights, you know." Sam pulled himself to his feet and Dean did the same. The seventh-grader pushed his brother towards the door, and Dean made himself go limp so all his weight fell on his baby brother. "You piece of crap! You're heavy!" Sam dropped his brother, and Dean just barely managed to catch himself.

"Fine, I'll give you some privacy to pretty up," he teased. Sam scrunched up his nose and closed the door. Hearing the click of a lock, Dean hopped onto the stair railing and slid down to the floor below.

"Mornin' kiddo." John Winchester smiled at Dean, and the sophomore quickly figured out why his father was all dressed up.

"Hey dad," Dean opened the fridge, seized the orange juice, and poured himself a glass. "D'you have another business trip?" He tried his best to keep the hurt out his voice, and succeeded in only sounding bored instead of disappointed.

"'Fraid so." John ruffled his hair affectionately. "Don't worry, I'll be home before you know it. Its only two weeks this time instead of two months." He lifted up his fist, and Dean pressed his knuckles against his father's.

Sam lumbered down the stairs, running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to lessen the mess. Sam smiled widely at his father, and Dean felt his heart give a painful thump as that smile slipped away.

"Another one?" Sam looked hurt for a few moments. "Will you be back soon?" _Will you be back in time for my birthday?_ Dean knew exactly what Sam meant by that question. Sam's twelfth birthday had been missed last year, and Dean's sixteenth birthday had been missed. John had argued with his boss to get time off so he could be there for his sons' respective birthday, but to no avail.

"I dunno kiddo. I'll try my best though, I promise." John held out his left hand, pinkie finger stuck out. Sam had to trouble returning the gesture as they made a promise. John pats both of their heads, a sad smile replacing his cheerful one. "I'll see you two soon, I swear." Sam waved and Dean nodded as their father disappeared out the door. They heard the garage door open and close, and Dean held out his glass. Sam took him up on the offer and took a long sip.

"Don't be discouraged Sammy," Dean's tone was light and a lot happier than it should have been. "He said he'd try."

"He said that last year, too." Dean got quiet.

"C'mon and grab your shit." Sam looked startled for a few moments before going and snatching up his backpack and slipping on his converse.

"Why're we leaving so early? Its only six ten!"

"We're going to IHop, idiot. School doesn't start until eight, right?" Sam grinned and the duo went into the garage.

Dean pressed the button to open the garage, and a smile tugged at his lips as light spilled onto his baby and made it sparkle. The sleek black metal of the Impala lit up and shone, and a grin spread across the older Winchester's face.

Sam glanced at his brother, a smile working its way onto his lips. He started towards the passenger's side of the car, chuckling quietly to himself. "Don't get a boner by looking at your car." He had just opened the door when he felt a sharp smack on the back of his head. "Hey!"

"Shut up, Sammy."

Sam made a face, climbing into the seat. His gaze turned to watch the scenery pass by, silhouetted by the dimming moonlight. Colors blurred together and sped past as they picked up speed, and Sam faintly wondered how they did. As Dean slowed the car, Sam turned his attention back to the front.

Dean wouldn't even admit it, but he was a sap for softer music in the morning. Like, romantic music that the lyrics actually held some meaning. Gregory and the Hawk's _Boats and Birds_ was one he had always been particularly fond of, as was the piano cover of _Carry on my Wayward Son_. Their mom sang that a lot when they were little, before she passed away from cancer.

It was a sore subject for the entire Winchester clan, so it was never brought up.

Dean slowed to a stop at the IHop, parking at the closest way out. The duo left their backpacks in the car and locked the doors after stepping into the warm air. Dean muttered something about rain, and he and Sam started towards the entrance.

It took about a minute for them to get a booth, and Dean seemed happy that the restaurant was close to empty. Sam enjoyed the quiet as well, and he kept his voice low as he and Dean ordered their food.

They consumed their pancakes quickly, glancing up every so often at each other. The duo enjoyed having one of those comfortable silences where all members of the party were aware they could say something, they just don't want to.

After paying the bill, the ride to the school was quiet and filled with soft chatter about school and singing along to the lyrics of whatever song came onto the radio.

"Alright, I'll see you later Sammy." Dean ruffled his younger brother's hair, and Sam smiled after shying away.

"Bye Dean. Want me to just walk to your practice?" Dean shook his head.

"I'd feel a lot better if you just hang out here until practice is over." Sam agreed.

"Okay. Bye."

"Later Sam." Sam slammed the door and watched until his brother had turned the corner, and started walking to the nearly empty entrance. He paused, watching the only two at the exit. The younger one looked about Sam's age, with messy black hair and pale skin. He had shadows under his eyes, which were the bluest pair he'd even seen. As his green eyes slid to the older male, Sam's heart skipped a beat.

The man, who looked to be a sophomore or junior, had the most beautiful golden eyes. They were like pools of honey, and they went along extremely well with his light, golden brown hair, which was slicked back. Sam watched shyly as the younger one embraced the highschooler, hugging tightly. The elder, Sam guessed he was the raven-haired boys older brother, hugged right back.

"Go on in, I'll see you after school." Sam gulped, feeling a lump form in his throat at the man's voice.

"Alright. Bye Gabriel." Sam pretended to tie his shoe as Gabriel walked past him, and then stood up. He locked gazes with the boy and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Hi." The boy shied away, looking at Sam with blatant distrust, and maybe a spark of hope. "I'm Sam." Sam held out his hand, a smile tugging at his lips.

"I'm Castiel." The boy was quiet, Sam could give him that.

"Nice to meet you." Castiel shook his hand, and Sam felt a shudder go down his spine. Jesus, this kid's hands were _cold_.

"Likewise." Castiel looked at the ground, looking suddenly interested in his beaten-up sneakers.

"Want me to show you around school?" Castiel looked startled at the offer, and nodded mutely.

"Can I see your schedule?" Sam started walking into the building, and Castiel tripped as he stumbled after the taller male. Hearing the crinkle of paper, Sam paused as he waited for the other to catch up. Scanning Castiel's schedule, Sam smiled. "You and I have every hour together except for gym." He handed it back.

"Oh, alright." Castiel glanced down at his schedule, where he had library duty instead of gym. He coughed, color rising to his cheeks.

"Hey Cas," Sam paused. "I can call you Cas, right?" Castiel nodded mutely, and Sam continued, "What do you play?" He gestured to the case in the boy's hands.

"Claranet."

"I do too. We can share music." Sam smiled and he was Cas stiffen as thunder boomed outside. Rain had quickly begun falling, and was hitting down hard on the pavement. Glancing at his wrist, he started walking towards the stairs that led to the seventh grade classrooms.

"Comin'?" Cas nodded furiously and raced after Sam, not wanting to lose sight of this potential new friend.

Sam spun in his combination, and got out what he needed for the day. After stuffing his backpack into the upper locker, he helped Cas do the same on his own locker.

"there's a trick to this one." Sam explained. "Hit the top like this," He demonstrated "while pulling the trigger." He did exactly that, and Cas stepped back to avoid getting hit by the locker door. "And walla!"

Cas let out a quiet laugh, and Sam helped him put his stuff in his locker.

"Thanks."

"Anything for a friend." Sam flashed a smile at Cas, and Cas returned it. Then the bell rang and the the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. Sam scooped up his stuff and Cas did the same.

"Lets not get trampled." Cas ran after Sam, trying to avoid running into anyone. It was pretty easy, actually. Cas just had to keep right behind Sam, who was tall enough the part the traffic.

"We're doing a lab," Sam explained over the noise. "You can be my partner, if you want."

Cas nodded, not wanting to have to shout over the ruckus. He slid into the classroom after Sam, and picked a seat beside the taller one.

"And don't worry, its not as bad as it might seem."

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**So, how do you guys like it? Give me some feedback in the comments please, and I'll try to get up the next chapter soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I need to update more frequently. I'm going to blame school, and play practice on this one. So, I'm sorry, guys! I'm also starting up track the day I get back from Spring Break, so… sorry. I'll try to update as soon as possible! I promise!**

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Castiel shifted awkwardly in his seat as the teacher called role. As the teacher came to his name, she gave him a gentle smile. "Why don't you come up and introduce yourself." Sam glanced at his possible new friend, curious as to why he looked ready to throw up.

The stares of the entire class burned into the back of Castiel's head as he stood up and shuffled to the front of the room. He faced the class, giving a small, tight smile. "My name is Castiel Novak, and I moved here from Virginia." He hurriedly sat down again, swallowing. He prayed he didn't have to do that in every class.

"Alright, get with your partners to finish the project. Castiel, you are exempt from this project." Castiel sunk down in his chair, letting out a sigh.

"Lucky." Sam elbowed him playfully, and Castiel shoved him half-heartedly. "Anyways, what was that? You didn't look too good."

"I – ah… I don't like people all that much. I can handle a few people at once, but I don't like large crowds." Sam nodded slightly in understanding. Castiel pulled out his journal and began writing. He did that for the rest of the class period, and he hurriedly packed up his stuff when the bell rang. He ran after Sam, sticking close to the tall male.

"Are you sure you weren't held back?" He inquired.

"What d'you mean?" Sam looked at him in confusion.

"You're a giant, Sam." Sam ducked his head, cheeks flushing.

"I'm twelve, Cas." Castiel shrugged.

"Alright." The duo entered the band room. Castiel enjoyed band, as he was actually able to do something. As he went through the day, he found himself becoming more comfortable with the school itself. Lunch was a slight problem, but Sam had called him over and he had sat at Sam's table. By the time the end of day bell rang, Castiel had had a great day.

Sam, as it turned out, was going to wait after school for a while. When Castiel asked why, he explained simply, "I'm waiting for my brother."

Castiel sat down on the curb next to him. "I'll join you. Gabriel has practice, and he wanted me to stay here until he finished."

Sam looked at him. "Same." They got quiet, turning their backs to each other. Castiel leaned against Sam and vice verse, as the duo finished the small remains of homework. Castiel had laid down in the grass as he finished his, staring up at the clouds that drifted lazily across the sky. Sam joined him, resting his head in his hands. They sat in quiet for a while, and Castiel broke the silence by pointing out a cloud.

"It looks like a car." He pointed out. Sam looked at the cloud he was talking about.

"Oh yeah, it kind of does." At that moment, there was a call of "Sammy!" from the sidelines. Sam sat up, grinning at his brother. Dean gave a small wave from the Impala, green eyes bright. He got out of the car, crossing to the front to meet the taller brother. Castiel's breath hitched as he sat up and caught sight of Dean. Sam mentioned he had an older brother, yes, but he never said that his older brother was _gorgeous._

"Oh! Dean, meet Castiel Novak. He's new in town." Dean nodded at Castiel.

"Castiel's a mouthful." He mused. Castiel slowly turned red, grabbing a fistful of his own shirt. "Cas'll work. Are you related to Gabriel Novak? He's on my soccer team, and literally just moved in."

Castiel nodded, opened his mouth to speak.

"Aw, Cassie made some friends!" Castiel looked up as Gabriel came jogging down the sidewalk. He pat his brother on the head gently, grinning. He turned to Dean, and made a small salute. "Hey there Winchester. Getting aquantinced with my little bro?"

Dean snorted. "I came to pick up my own brother, for your information." Gabriel eyed Sam for a minute with curiosity.

"And how old are you?" Dean looked ready to spit, and Sam's cheeks flushed red. Castiel gaped slightly at his brother, looking ready to start laughing. In fact, he did start laughing.

"What?" Gabriel shrugged, looking at each expression with interest.

"I'm twelve." Sam squeaked, face pretty damn near scarlet.

"Damn. Four years short." Gabriel chortled quietly, and Castiel let out an exclamation.

Dean almost looked as if he had swallowed a lemon. "That's my brother you're hitting on, Gabriel." He growled, and both Sam and Castiel saw a vein pulsing in his temple.

"Hey Dean, lets go home." Sam suggested, pushing his brother towards the drivers side. "I'll see you guys later!"

"I hope so!" Gabriel called, leaving the younger Winchester a blushing and stuttering mess.

"Bye Sam!" Castiel waved as Sam slammed the door to the Impala, and then turned on his brother. "Really?"

"He's cute. He reminds me of a moose, almost. Or a puppy."

"One, he's twelve. Two, how do either of those compare to one another?" Gabriel shrugged, grinning slightly.

"I dunno. Anyways, let's get home. Lucifer's making tortellini." Castiel perked up considerably at the promise of that particular dish. He followed his elder brother to the car, where Anna sat in the back seat.

"Hey Cas! How was your first day at school?" Anna smiled brightly at him.

"May I explain when we get home?" He asked, turning in his seat to look at his older sister.

"Aw, alright." Anna made a face and went back to her phone. Turning back around in his seat, Castiel rolled his eyes in the most exaggerated fashion. Gabriel snickered, and drove off.

The drive home was full of Anna and Gabriel bickering about the radio station, and a lot of singing. Castiel eventually just took Gabriel's phone and plugged it in so both of them would shut up about the music. As they pulled into the driveway, Michael was rinsing his own car off o get the soap suds off.

"Hey guys. How was your day?" Michael nodded at each in turn as the three chorused out "Good!" He returned to washing his car, looking irritated. "I would kill Lucifer if he didn't know how to cook." The three children exchanged looks, and went into the house. Lucifer was in the kitchen, cooking. Castiel and Gabriel both took in a long, deep breath.

Lucifer was the cook, and Michael was the clean freak. That was the only reason the twins didn't kill each other was because each were useless at the other. Lucifer was decent at cleaning, but he hated doing it, and Michael couldn't cook worth shit.

"Hey Luci!" Gabriel sang out, flopping down on the couch.

"Hey guys." Lucifer turned from the stove, giving a slight smile. "What's up?"

"Homework's finished!" Castiel and Anna chimed.

"Speak for yourself." Gabriel groaned, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. "The stupid letters keep drifting off of the page. And then there's _math_." Gabriel let out a melodramatic sound of agony, rolling off of the couch and flopping down on the floor. Lucifer snorted, rolling his eyes.

"I'll help you after dinner."

"I love you!" Gabriel perked up considerably, golden eyes shining.

Castiel watched quietly for a few moments before turning and climbing up the stairs. Passing Raphael's room, he called out a greeting. Raphael sent back a quiet "hello" in response, and continued typing away at his computer. He glanced in at Gabriel's room, and shook his head slightly, smiling. Two walls were covered in different posters and paintings, and one wall had a rainbow of hats. No one understood _why_ Gabriel collected them, and he wasn't all too sure himself. So everyone left it alone. Castiel looked at the blank wall, wondering why it was as blank as it was.

He shrugged and went into his own room. It was the smallest, but it had two windows directly by the head of his bed. Castiel's bed was his desk chair, as his desk was pressed against the wall directly next to the bed. The other side of Castiel's bed was occupied by bookshelves, and the end of the small room held his dressers. He had a small closet, for which he was grateful. He sat down on his well-made bed, and looked around the small room. It was decently tidy, so Michael would have no room to complain.

Castiel turned to the windows, opening them. He hung out of them, holding on tightly to the edge. He let out a deep breath, smiling gently. Wind caressed his face as he leaned out, and he saw Sam walking down the street. He almost fell out of his window, but he quickly pulled back to avoid that.

"Sam!" He yelled.

Sam's head jerked up. He looked around in confusion, wondering if he was going insane. Was that Castiel, or was he going completely nuts?

"Sam!" He spotted his friend halfway hanging out of a window. Sam jogged towards the house, standing below the window that Castiel hung out of.

"What the bloody Hell are you _doing_?" Sam sounded exasperated.

"Getting fresh air. Do you wanna hang out?"

Sam considered it for a bit. Dean had taken a nap, so Sam was bored and had nothing to do. "Yeah, sure." He called up.

"I'll be down in a minute." The window closed, and Sam shrugged. He walked around the front of the house, jumping over the puddles on the driveway. He got a weird look from the man washing his car, but he shrugged it off and sat down on the curb to wait.

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**Another short chapter, haha… Yeah, once again, I'm sorry about the length of these chapters. But hey! At least I updated! … I need to go work on _Daughter of the Hearth_, but I really don't want to.**

**Shit.**

**-StarryEyed Artist, signing off.**


	3. Chapter 3

**You guys are so encouraging, I love all of you that reviewed so much ;w;**

**BookAddict, you do have a point. The age gap between Sam and Gabriel is about the same as it is with Cas and Dean, so approximately four years. And yes, Castiel is rather tall for his age group (all of team Free Will are giants, no kidding) so he's only about four inches or so shorter than Dean. (Growth spurts, yeah!)**

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Cas practically flew down the stairs, pulling on his trenchcoat over top his clothes. Throwing open the heavy door, he yelled back into the house "I'm going out for a bit! I'll be back later!" He shut the door behind him before any of his siblings could question him, and smiled at Sam.

Sam gave a small grin back, standing up and brushing himself off. He gave the other a quizzical look, and motioned to the trenchcoat.

"Oh, this. It's comfortable, I like wearing it." He self-consciously stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Okay." Sam shrugged, smiling and sticking his hands in his own pockets.

"Cassie, Luci wants to know where you're go–Moosie!" Gabriel had opened the door and caught sight of Sam. He was practically glowing with a grin, and the seventh grader took a step back. His cheeks were flushing red, and he gulped quietly.

"M-Moose?" Sam gasped out, trying to duck behind Cas, who actually moved out of the way every time he tried. Sam sent the other a pleading look, and Cas just shook his head and smiled.

"Yeah!" Gabriel closed the door behind him, hopping down the steps. He leaned on the railing that he been put up, eyeing the seventh grader with a smile. "You're like a moose-puppy hybrid!" His tone was very chirpy and cheerful, and Castiel bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"How do either of those compare to one another?" Sam folded his arms, taking a step back.

"They don't." Gabriel shrugged. "But you remind me of both." He flashed a wink at Sam as Lucifer opened the door with a scowl.

"Gabriel, get your ass in here." He snapped. Looking around the corner at Michael, he snickered quietly. "Oi! Dinner's done!" He hollered. Michael waved at him.

"I'll be inside once I get this stupid shit off my car!" He hollered. Lucifer rolled his eyes and his gaze settled on Sam.

"Who's this?" Sam shifted uncomfortably underneath the stares of three people; four if you counted Michael.

"My name's Sam Winchester. I live down the street." Sam took his hands out of his pockets and folded his arms.

"He's my friend." Castiel said quietly. Lucifer surveyed the two before shrugging.

"Whatever. You want to come inside for some food, kid?" Both Castiel and Gabriel looked startled at the offer, staring at Lucifer as if he'd grown an extra head.

Sam blinked, glancing at the other's expressions. "Ah… okay." Lucifer turned and went back inside, leaving his dumbfounded siblings and confused Winchester outside.

"Well then." Castiel snapped out of it first. "Shall we go inside?" Sam nodded and Gabriel straightened up. All three of them went inside, and Castiel made a beeline for the bathroom. He washed his hands quickly, and Gabriel nudged him out of the way as the younger one dried his hands. Sam ran his tongue across his teeth as he waited, looking around as he waited to wash his own hands.

Gabriel nudged him gently as he came up to the sink, and Sam did what he would do when Dean elbowed him; he kicked the other in the side of the leg. Gabriel yelped and took a step away. Sam quickly finished washing his hands and darted behind Castiel.

Castiel gently pat him on the shoulder after turning around. He shrugged off his coat and hung it up, pausing for a slight moment to finger the soft material.

"C'mon! Get your asses in here and set the table!" Castiel jumped and he and Gabriel practically sprinted into the kitchen. Sam followed a bit more cautiously, looking at everything in the large house. There were some paintings, and a lot of pictures. Some were of a black haired boy and a blonde boy who were grinning at the camera or glaring at each other. One showed a younger Gabriel hugging a puppy on the sidewalk, and then Sam came to the closest one. He recognized Cas, as he was the youngest. A young redhead that stood next to a younger Gabriel. A darker skinned boy who was ignoring the camera and had his nose stuck in a book. And then Michael and Lucifer, who had their arms slung across each other's shoulders. A beautiful woman stood next to them, and a man had his arm wrapped around her waist. Sam guessed it was the Novak's parents.

"C'mon Sam!" Castiel peeked back into the hallway. "Oh, and what d'you want to drink?"

Sam jolted out of his thoughts, and he turned to face Castiel. "Ah, do you guys have milk?" Cas nodded and disappeared back into the kitchen. Gabriel stuck his head out and yelled up the stairs, "Raphael! Anna, c'mon! Dinner time!"

The darker skinned man and the freshman practically flew down the stairs, and Sam was surprised at how graceful they were. They slowed as they hit the floor, and walked calmly into the kitchen. Sam trailed after them and found himself being seated in between Cas and Gabriel. Michael came down and seated himself at the head of the table, engaging in a staring contest with his twin.

Lucifer extended his hands first. Then Gabriel grabbed Lucifer's hand and so did Raphael, and soon everyone had joined hands. Sam felt warm on one side and ice on the other, as Cas's hands felt like ice and Gabriel's felt like fire. Sam closed his eyes, like everyone else, and listened to Lucifer speak.

"O Dei, et benedic hoc sacrificium, quod est in familia nostra benedicimus laminam. Et custodiant filii incolumitate Ward mones. Da Panem nostrum familiæ, simul ac nostros. Amen."

It took Sam a moment, but he quickly realized that Lucifer was speaking in Latin, and that the majority of the table was saying the same under their breath. As the word "Amen", everyone repeated it, and Sam said it quickly as to not fall behind.

Chatter started up almost immediately as prayer was over with. Questions (mainly from Anna) were thrown at Sam, asking about the neighborhood, the school, anything about the town that could be used for the entire Novak family. Sam answered them with ease, and between bites. He was surprised at how good of a cook the older man was, as he didn't make small talk and listened more than anything else.

"How was everyone's day?" Castiel asked.

"Long." Raphael sighed, leaning into his hand. He quickly took his elbows off the table at Michael's and Lucifer's stares.

"Productive." Lucifer and Michael chimed, and then they glared at each other.

"Hell!" Gabriel chirped out in the most cheerful tones. Sam looked confused at how cheerful he sounded, but the rest of the table just chuckled. The Winchester sipped at his milk, listening to Anna explain how her day went. She seemed to have had a good day, and had made a lot of friends.

"What about you, Cassie?" Gabriel leaned forward to peer at his younger brother, and then the entire table, excluding Sam, turned to watch the youngest Novak.

Castiel coughed awkwardly, sliding down in his chair. "It was good." He said quietly.

"Make any friends, beside Puppy-Moose here?" Lucifer burst out laughing as Sam's face slowly turned redder. Gabriel winked at him and Anna made a face.

"He'll land you in jail, Gabe."

"It's a four year difference!" He defended. Sam's face was a deep shade of crimson, and he made a small sound that sounded like a mouse being stepped on. The entire table, save for Castiel and Sam, burst into loud, almost hysterical laughter. Gabriel had to grab the table before his chair tipped over, and everyone just started laughing harder.

"And Castiel made friends with Sam's brother." Gabriel calmed enough to say this, a twinkle in his eyes. "He worships the older Winchester already!" He burst into a laughing fit, and then leaned away as Castiel leaned across Sam's lap, trying to get to his older brother's neck.

"Gabriel, I am going to strangle you!" Castiel hissed.

"Try me, baby bro!" Castiel actually got out of his chair, and Gabriel quickly realized he was serious.

"Oh shit!" The trickster scrambled out of his chair and Castiel chased after him. There was a loud, girly scream that came from the living room, and the entire table scrambled to their feet, empty plates forgotten.

Gabriel had Castiel in a headlock, cackling, and Castiel was clawing at his arm. He bit the elder one, and Gabriel yelped. He released Castiel, and the small boy pounced at him, elbowing him in the stomach.

"Don't hurt each other!" Lucifer moved forward to break it up, and then Gabriel got an evil glint in his eyes. Castiel was flipped onto his back and he quickly began screaming. Sam moved Anna to the side, worried, and saw that Castiel wasn't actually screaming – he was _laughing_. He squirmed as his brother tickled him, reaching out and getting Gabriel under the armpit. Gabriel yelped in surprise, rolling off of Castiel. The two laid, gasping for breath and laughing, on the ground. Castiel groggily got to his feet and gave Sam a slight smile.

"How about we go to the park." He said quietly. Lucifer and Michael were helping Gabriel to his feet, and Anna and Raphael had disappeared back upstairs.

Sam nodded, glancing over at the gasping and giggling Gabriel. Smiling in amusement, he followed Castiel out of the house. The sky was a deep blue as they walked towards the park. They sat down on swings; Sam turned his attention to the stars that were poking through the cloud cover. Castiel dragged his toe through the grass.

"Sam!" both Castiel and Sam looked up. Dean jogged up, leaning against the metal and looking tired. "Jesus Christ Sammy, don't scare me like that."

"What d'you mean?" Sam looked slightly confused.

"I've been looking for you for _hours._" He gasped. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Oh, I've been with Cas." Dean's gaze slid over to Castiel, and he seemed to droop.

"One of you, at least call me if Sam's gonna be out." He breathed quietly. Castiel stared at Dean, still wondering how Sam had gotten a god as a brother. Dean straightened, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Anyways, C'mon. It's dark out – I'll walk you home Cas." Castiel nodded mutely.

Sam shot him a knowing look, and he hopped off of the swing. Castiel climbed off of the swing he was one as well, following the brothers down the street. His heart began beating furiously every time Dean glanced back to see if Castiel was still following, and the middle-schooler had to focus on not letting his gaze go to a more rear-oriented region of Dean's body.

Cas barely noticed as they stopped at his house, and he nearly ran straight into the older one. Dean ruffled his hair. "Have a good night Cas." He said absentmindedly.

"A-alright. You too." He started waking up the steps, and paused on the porch. He turned to look at Sam and Dean, and saw they were waiting for him to go inside. He gave a small wave before opening to door and going inside. Closing it, he leaned against it. Then Castiel crawled up the stairs and went into his room. He crawled onto his bed, hiding his face in his pillow and concealing his grin.

He'd had a good first day, he thought.

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**I'm gonna be busy all of this week, so I am really sorry for the lack of updates this week. I'll try, I promise! Anyways, I hope this was a good chapter (quite a bit longer, I have to say) and I hope you enjoy it!**

**-StarryEyed Artist, signing off.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Jesus Christ, I've had a really friggin long week. Play practice with track immediately beforehand really took it's toll… Anyways, I'm back with some free time! For now, anyways. So I'll try to update as frequently as possible.**

**To acknowledge someone…**

**BookAddict: You're welcome! As for Dean's feelings for Cas, they'll come along in some upcoming chapters. Or they should. There might be a little insight in this chapter about his feelings – it all depends. **

**On with the story!**

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"Sam, wake up!"

Sam groaned, grabbing his pillow and jamming it over his head. He whimpered quietly, trying to block out the noise of his brother knocking on the door. He curled up tighter into his bed, hugging the blankets to his body. Jeez, why was _his_ room the coldest? He almost managed to fall asleep again, and then cold met his bare back. With a girly scream, Sam scrambled out of bed, jumping around his room and howling.

"Holy shit!" Sam's back arched and a few half-melted ice cubes hit his carpet. Bristling, Sam felt himself flush out of anger. "Dean, I am going to _kill_ you!"

"It's ten, Sammy!" Dean yelled through the door, using his body weight to hold it closed. "You should've been awake earlier!"

"_You didn't have to dump ice cubes down my shirt, you piece of crap!_" Sam tried pushing his door open, getting angry. Sighing, he stripped off his pajamas and pulled on actual clothing. As he tugged his jeans up, his door flew open and Sam yelped. "I'm not allowed any privacy in this house, am I?"

"Nope!" Dean cackled and took off down the hall. A faint thud alerted Sam of Dean jumping over the stair railing.

"You okay?"

"Fine!" Sam shrugged and walked out of his room, glad he didn't have to resort to climbing out the window. He walked down the stairs normally (unlike his brother) and went into the kitchen. Dean was eating cereal, and Sam heard him mutter "morning bitch" under his breath, a dumb grin on his face.

"Screw off, jerk." Sam shot back, making a face. Dean made it right back at him. Sam pulled out the cereal and made himself a bowl. He went into the living room and sat down, switching on the TV. Once he made himself comfortable, he started eating his cereal.

And then the doorbell rang.

Huffing, Sam yelled, "Dean, get the door!"

"No!"

"I just got comfortable!"

"Well get off your ass and answer it!"

"You!"

"Bitch!" Sam rolled his eyes at his brother's voice.

"Jerk!" He put his bowl on the table next to the couch and pushed himself to his feet. He opened the door, and a man in plaid lumbered into the room, pulling his hat firmer onto his head. Sam blinked, then rubbed his eyes. "Uncle Bobby!"

There was a crashing sound, and Dean scrambled around the corner, almost tripping over his own two feet. "Bobby!" He lunged forward and hugged Bobby fiercely. Bobby chuckled and ruffled the hair of the two.

"It's nice seein' you two again. Heard John was outta town; thought I'd come check up on ya'." His eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled warmly at the boys. Sam beamed back almost radiantly, hazel eyes glittering with excitement. "I also heard you two idjits got new neighbors."

Sam nodded fiercely, and Dean gave a slight nod. "Yup. The Novaks." Bobby snorted at the name.

"Well, how would you two like to head on down to the barn? Charlie could use some help down there. She's instructing some new riders in the barn." Grins spread across the Winchesters' faces at the thought of the riding barn. Charlie was a great friend of theirs and assisted her dad in teaching people how to ride horses. She was one of the main instructors. She just recently started going to public school, as she'd been home-schooled for years.

Dean and Sam practically flew into Bobby's car. One of their favorite pastimes was going to the barn. They didn't ride, but they enjoyed watching the lessons. You could almost feel the energy in the car. The truck sent gravel skittering further down the drive as Bobby parked his trunk. The moment it was in park, both Dean and Sam leaped out of the car.

Sam took a deep breath, throwing his hands in the air and spinning around. Dean took a deep breath as well, inhaling the scent of horses and hay.. He smiled, walking into the mouth of the barn. Sam scampered after him, leaving Bobby to the car.

"Hey there, boys." Dean looked up and gave a slight nod to Crowley, one of the barn's regulars. The Englishman nodded back, and Sam waved.

"Hey Crowley." Sam said calmly. Dean echoed his younger brother. Crowley jerked a thumb towards the outdoor arena, a thin smile on his face.

"Charlie's out there with the new ones. They're actually decent; you should go watch."

"Thanks Crowley." Dean acknowledged, and he and Sam started towards the outdoor arena. Glancing back, Sam saw Crowley chatting with Bobby. They weren't such a strange combination in occupation, really. Crowley worked with horses, and Bobby hunted. They went fox hunting on occasion, and seemed to have a good time. They argued and bickered frequently, and Crowley had a tendency to throw out the occasional innuendo and get slugged in the arm.

Smiling slightly, Sam returned his attention to where he was walking. He paused as the bright sunlight flooded over him again. With his eyes adjusting, he shielded them from the bright glare. He heard the beat of hooves, and assumed someone must have been cantering – it could be nothing else with the tempo of the horse's hoof falls..

He jogged into the center of the ring, watching the riders. He let out a low whistle of appreciation; the riders were good. He saw Dean nodding approvingly

"Hey guys!" Charlie cheered, waving at them. Her hair was in a messy ponytail on her head, and her glasses were slightly askew. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. Just thought we'd drop by." Dean answered nonchalantly. Sam nodded in agreement, stuffing his hands in his pockets. One of the riders trotted over, and Sam gently pet his horse's nose.

"Hey there Barley." He cooed. The horse whinnied and bumped his hand slightly. On the occasional days Sam DID want to ride – he went with Barley. Barley was tall and long-legged, with a fast stride and gorgeous canter. He was gorgeous, too.

"Didn't think this was your kind of thing, kiddo." Sam turned his attention away from the horse and looked up. Gabriel grinned down at him, golden eyes gleaming. Sam let out a quiet "oh" of surprise, and stepped back.

"Hi Gabriel." Dean turned to face them, looking surprised.

"Wait, you ride?"

" Yeah, 'course! It's a great way to get away from the dicks that are my brothers!"

"Excuse you." A new voice rang out, and Castiel trotted up on a beautiful chesnut mare. He gave his brother a disapproving look, and Gabriel cackled.

Patting Castiel on the shoulder, Gabriel sang out, "You're my favorite, Cassie! You're not a pain in the ass." Castiel looked disgruntled as the entire populace of the arena burst into laughter – save for Dean. His green eyes were trained on the younger male, concentration and slight confusion in his expression. His stomach was twisting painfully, and he couldn't quite understand why.

"Alrighty guys!" Charlie clapped her hands together. "Dean, Sam? Do me a favor and put the jumps up four holes – cross rails please." With words of agreement, the Winchesters went and set up the jumps.

"You guys are doing a figure eight!" Charlie barked. "Remember – check your lead immediately off the jump!"

The moment Sam and Dean had backed away from the first jump, Castiel flew over it, gripping onto Peach. The quarter horse sped around the ring, giving Castiel a flying lead change around the corner. Dean whistled, and Sam let out a quiet whoop. Gabriel followed soon after, speeding after Castiel.

A loud bang shot from the other side of the barn. Sam and Dean both jumped, and then there was a small yelp, and a nasty growl. Peach had started hopping around, rearing onto her back legs and striking out with her front. She began bucking, Castiel barely hanging on. Then the black-haired boy sailed over the horses head and hit the ground with a quiet thud. Dean winced as the sound of Castiel's helmet cracking the ground rang out.

Dean was over there before anyone else, helping Castiel to his feet. He was surprised to hear the younger male cussing under his breath, a fire in his blue eyes.

"Cas, you okay?" Sam asked anxiously.

"Fine." Castiel's tone was sharp, and he hissed out his words.

"And what did you do wrong?" Charlie asked, folding her arms. She calmly leaned against a jump, gaze fixed firmly on her student.

"I lost my stirrup and wasn't able to sit up quickly enough before Peach brought her hind legs up." Castiel muttered. There was a determined light in his eyes, and Sam and Dean exchanged glances.

"Good. Now get your ass back onto the horse and do it again."

Gabriel chuckled with slight amusement as Castiel lead Peach back over to the mounting block. He swung his leg over the horse's back, and pushed her into a canter the moment he was settled. He flew over the jump a few more times, gritting his teeth. As he calmed Peach to a walk, Charlie praised him.

"Good job. Now you can cool her out. Gabe, you're turn."

Gabriel chirped out a "yes ma'am" and nudged Barley into a canter. Meanwhile, Dean walked alongside Cas, growing sick of watching his brother's captivating expression. Sam's hazel gaze was fixed firmly on Gabriel, watching with an almost enchanted look on his face. Whether he was watching the horse or the rider, Dean didn't know, but it reminded him of a chick flick and _ew_.

"You alright, Cas?" Dean asked. Castiel nodded calmly, leaning back.

"Yes, I'm quite alright." He said. "I'll just be bruised."

Dean nodded. "You and Gabriel have ridden before?"

"Oh, plenty." Cas nodded eagerly, blue eyes sparkling with the thought of horseback riding. "I've been riding since I was six, and Gabriel since he was seven."

Dean gave an appreciative whistle. "Cool."

"Indeed." They fell silent, and Dean went back over to Sam. Castiel hopped off of his horse, walking her back into the barn.

The Winchesters left Gabriel in the arena to cool off his horse, but he and Charlie quickly followed after them. Dean noticed Castiel picking Peach's hooves and that her tack was still on. Rolling his eyes, he unhooked Peach's girth and pulled the saddle off – blanket, pad, girth and all. The seventh-grader went to grab it from him, but Dean stepped back.

"I'll do it." Dean offered. "You probably want to get home." Before Castiel could protest, Dean whisked into the tack room. Castiel stared after him, a soft smile on his lips and his cheeks flushing.

"Aw, Cassie's got a crush!" Gabriel teased.

"Go get your horse cleaned up, Gabriel." Castiel responded, grabbing a brush and beginning to groom his horse. Gabriel laughed and went into the tack room with his own tack.

Dean and Sam were chatting with Charlie and Bobby – Crowley was nowhere in sight. Castiel thought nothing of it – the Englishman seemed ready to tell you off at any given moment. Grabbing the lead rope, he led Peach into the pasture. Gabriel had put Barley into his own pasture, and the Novak siblings began making their way to Gabriel's car.

"Hey, you guys leaving?" Sam called.

"Yeah, sorry Samsquatch!" Gabriel called. "You can marvel at my good looks another time!" Sam made a garbled, strangled sort of noise before he ducked behind Dean, face as red as a cherry. Dean's laughter split the air, along with Charlie's, Bobby's, and Gabriel's, but Castiel only heard Dean's.

"You guys are coming over for pie tonight!" Dean hollered. "You don't have a choice!"

"Pie and Risk!" Charlie added. The two teenagers whooped, and Gabriel rolled his eyes. He and Castiel got into the car and drove off, with the Winchesters and company still laughing together, almost like a family.

* * *

**Oh my god, I'm so sorry I've postponed this so long. Whenever I'd start writing, something would get in the way. I'm so so so so sorry!**

**Also, I apologize if you guys don't understand the terminology I used in this chapter. I'm an equestrian, so I tend to use the terms for English riding… Sorry, I guess? Anyways, I thought Gabriel and Castiel seemed like people who would go horseback riding.**

**Starry Eyed Artist, signing off!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alrighty, let me point something out here and apologize. Updates are gonna be really infrequent for the rest of my track season. Sorry about that. Someone messaged me about how old each of the characters are, so I made a chart for the main characters in the story.**

**Gabriel – 16**

**Sam – 12**

**Castiel – 13 (his birthday is in autumn)**

**Dean – 16**

**Those are just the ages I came up with for these characters, and the ages they are in for this story. Anyways, on with the show!**

* * *

"Gabriel, who on _earth_ are you texting?" Gabriel glanced up for a few moments.

"What?" He'd been zoned out for a few minutes, actually. He had gotten Dean's number – from one of his rabid fangirls at school – and had been talking to him since. In all honesty, he was pretty sure he had almost given the older Winchester a heart attack.

"Who. Are. You. Texting?" Michael drew out all the syllables, as if Gabriel was unable to comprehend anything he was saying. A deep scowl etched itself into his facial features, and Gabriel put down his phone for a few moments.

"A friend." He said crossly. His legs hurt from riding, and he was in no mood to deal with Michael's temper by walking on eggshells, like he always did.

"A friend?" Michael snorted. "Right. As if you have any." Gabriel almost winced, because that hurt. He knew Michael didn't mean it, but he had always had a thing about tone and sarcasm and secrets. The elder sibling insisted he know every last detail about everyone's lives.

"Gabriel, have you contacted Dean yet?" Castiel walked into the living room, a towel draped over his head as he attempted to dry his wet hair.

"Dean?" Michael frowned.

"Talking to him right now, Cassie." Gabriel said sweetly; Castiel had always been his favorite. The younger sibling continued rubbing his hair with the towel, and Gabriel gave an amused smile. Michael scoffed and stormed out, passing Lucifer on his way.

"_Someone's_ on his period." Lucifer grumbled. He nodded at his younger siblings, as he had already been informed of their invitation. "You two have fun, and don't let Michael get to you." He smiled gently, almost fondly, and ruffled Gabriel's hair. He pet Castiel's head.

Gabriel smiled widely. "Alright, Luci." He chirped happily as his brother walked out. Lucifer used to have a temper like Michael's – but their parents sent him to a military camp for the summer and he came back with a calm and cool temper. Gabriel shook his head to clear his thoughts and glanced down at his phone. After a few moments, he was able to figure out the numbers on his clock.

"C'mon Cassie, let me dry your hair." Gabriel slipped his phone into his back pocket, and motioned for his brother to sit on the ground in front of the couch. Castiel, despite being about four years younger, was Gabriel's height already. Sometimes it irked the teenager that his middle school brother was bound to be taller than he was.

"Alright." Castiel sat down, and Gabriel quickly dried his hair.

"Lets head on out – Dean said to be there by six." Castiel hopped to his feet, and Gabriel slipped on his beat up, old Chuck Taylors. Swirling his keys around his finger, he grasped them as they swung around into his palm. The duo left the house, careful to be quiet. Raphael had a massive headache, and he had asked for everyone to be silent.

Sliding into the Jeep, Gabriel started it up. Castiel buckled himself in, and they were off. Gabriel whistled appreciatively as they pulled up in front of the Winchester household. They parked in the street, and Gabriel wondered slightly how many people had been invited over. There were four cars in the driveway – including the Impala.

"Welp, we're here." Gabriel practically leaped out of his car. Castiel climbed out a bit more cautiously, and they walked through the brittle grass to the front door.

Gabriel was an inch away from knocking when the door was thrown open. Sam beamed at them, hazel eyes bright, and Gabriel felt his breath hitch. It was hard to remember that Sam was twelve – He looked and acted fourteen. Gabriel cleared his thoughts with his best effort, and gave back a radiant smile.

"You guys wanna come in?" Sam stepped back, and Castiel went in first. Gabriel trailed after his younger brother, winking at Sam as he passed.

"Hey guys!" Gabriel took a step back, startled. Dean gave an enthusiastic grin, green eyes twinkling. A girl with wavy blonde hair and a woman who was no doubt her mother sat at the table. Gabriel recognized the girl from school – he was in her science class. The burly man that had been with Dean and Sam at the barn was chatting with the woman, sipping at a beer. Charlie sat at the end of the table, feet propped up on the table. Gabriel nodded at the blonde.

"Jo, right?" He asked.

She nodded, twirling a knife in her hand. Gabriel eyed it cautiously. "Yup, that's me. You're Garrett, right?"

"Gabriel." He corrected her.

"Potato, patato." Jo shrugged, placing down her knife at Dean's look.

"I'm Ellen." The older woman smiled warmly at Gabriel and Castiel, and Gabriel made a slight bow.

"Pleasure, Mrs. Ellen." Gabriel said, slightly mocking. Ellen's eyes sparkled with slight amusement.

"Please, Ellen's fine. 'Mrs' makes me feel old."

"You kind of are." The gruff man snorted. She cast him a dirty look.

"You have no room to be talking, Bobby." She retorted. Gabriel watched the conversation like a tennis match, smiling. He settled down on a chair, watching the adults bicker. _They're like an old married couple._ He thought, amused.

All of a sudden a sugary, warm scent hit his nose and Gabriel sat up like a meercat, rattling the table. Jo grabbed her drink to prevent it from tipping over

"Hey!" Gabriel didn't even notice her exclamation as he spotted the source of the smell. Castiel grabbed his arm as Gabriel's muscles tensed, ready to spring.

"You aren't a cat, Gabriel!" He scolded, and the occupants of the room chuckled. "Don't jump over the table!"

"But it's _pie_!" Gabriel whined. "It's _sweet_!"

"And hot." Sam snorted.

"Overstatment, Sammy." Dean laughed, settling down at the table with a slice. Gabriel was on his knees at Dean's side, giving his best puppy dog eyes. Jo chuckled, going into the kitchen to refill her soda. Dean rolled his eyes. "Go get a slice." He chuckled.

"Yes!" He sprung out of his chair and bolted to the kitchen. Sam followed after him, ready to cut him a slice.

The two came back, Gabriel holding two plates. He passed it to Cas, who picked at it for a few moments before taking a bite.

"So," Gabriel swallowed his first bite. "When's total war popping up?"

Dean stood, his slice of pie already gone, and he disappeared.. He came back with the board game. "Who's playing?"

Gabriel, Dean, Jo, and Castiel all grabbed an army. Sam seated himself in between Dean and Gabriel, and Ellen and Bobby sat down on the leather recliners in the living room to chat.

About an hour later, Castiel was dominating the map.

"How the hell are you doing this, kid?" Dean stared at him with astonishment. Castiel ducked his head shyly, cheeks flushing.

"He's a dice shark, Dean-o." Gabriel snorted.

"No kidding." Jo agreed. She had three countries left. Dean had one, and Gabriel had seven. Castiel owned the rest of the map.

"I attack Japan." Dean declared, picking up his die. Castiel calmly picked up the two white dice, and rolled them into the box. Dean did the same with his red die, and then shouted, "_You motherfucker!_" Dean hissed, pulling away his troop and handing the red dice begrudgingly over to Castiel. He knocked out one of Gabriel's territories before going after Dean's. Dean growled as he grabbed the white die.

"_No!_" Dean howled, as Castiel calmly took control of Dean's last territory and knocked him out of the game.

"Endgame, sir Winchester." He said, almost pompously. His blue eyes glittered, and he grinned like an idiot. Dean burst into laughter, with Sam following behind the moment he saw his brother get beaten by a thirteen year old. Gabriel's head snapped up and his golden gaze fixed on Sam. His mouth opened into a small "O" as he watched Sam's head tilted back and as he heard the laughter bubbling from the younger boy's lips.

Cas's reaction wasn't much different, but he was fixed on Dean. He gulped past the lump that formed in his throat, and made a sound that sounded like a squeak. He and Gabriel glanced at each other, and Gabriel knew exactly what was going through his younger sibling's mind – his thought process was the exact same.

_I could love him._

Gabriel returned to staring at Sam, and he shuddered.

They were snapped back to reality by Jo slamming down her dice. "I give up." She announced, standing up. "Lets do something else."

Dean nodded in agreement, calmer now, and stood up.

"Who wants to play Mario Kart?" Sam asked. Gabriel and Castiel stared at him with horrified expressions, and the rest of the group stared back.

"What's with that expression?" Dean asked curiously.

"Mario Kart is a bloodbath at our home." Cas explained. Gabriel shuddered.

"I got hit in the face by a flying Wiimote." The older Novak grumped.

"You – _what?_" Sam stared in astonishment with his mouth hanging open, but Dean and Jo just began howling in laughter.

"Lucifer hit me in the face with his wiimote because I was in first!" Gabriel insisted. Cas bit his lip to keep from laughing at the memory. He had come downstairs to watch that scene. "I almost got a concussion!" Gabriel sounded dead serious, but he had started laughing so it ruined the mood,

"It won't be like that here." Dean promised.

Oh how was he wrong.

By the time the Grand Prix had ended, Gabriel had come in first with Cas directly behind him. Dean and Sam didn't even place. Gabriel was nursing a sore arm, whining quietly, and Cas had to go get an ice pack. Sam groaned, still on his back and holding his side after being elbowed. Dean had gotten knocked in the face when Gabriel threw his hands up.

Bobby and Ellen had been watching with amusement, but Bobby left after about three races.

"We should go home." Gabriel announced. "Otherwise Michael will throw a bitch fit."

"Is he worse than Sammy over here?" Dean asked.

"Nah. He doesn't have a bitch face."

"Hey!" Sam bristled.

Gabriel shrugged, but he winked at the younger Winchester. Sam turned red and mumbled something about going to his room. He disappeared downstairs, and Dean stood to go get Cas.

"You okay Cas?"

"I've gotten worse." He replied calmly.

"Here, lemme take a look at it." Dean pulled the ice pack away from Cas's forehead, and saw that a nicely sized bruise was forming on his forehead, near his temple.

"Yeesh… Sorry about that Cas."

"It's fine, really." Cas's face was heating up considerably. He stared forward, but Dean was directly in front of him. All he saw was the fabric of Dean's shirt, and he felt like a rabbit being hunted down.

"Just put some ice on it when you get home, kay?" Dean smiled.

"Alright." Cas stood up, and brushed past him hurriedly. Gabriel was waiting by the door, and he yelled out a hurried farewell before chasing his younger brother out the door.

"Slow down, Cas!"

* * *

**I'm so sorry for the lack of updates this month. My computer lost this file, so I had to retype the entire thing from scratch. It should be fine now!**

**Anyways, fifth chapter! I dunno how many are left, but I think this chapter is decent. Give me some feedback, alright?**

**- Starry Eyed Artist, signing off.**


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